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Class T 2 -1 

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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 









































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































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The Candle and the Cat 


SUNSHINE LIBRARY. 


Aunt Hannah and Seth. By James Otis. 

Blind Brother (The). By Homer Greene. 

Captain’s Dog (The). By Louis finault. 

Cat and the Candle (The). By Mary F. Leonard. 
Christmas at Deacon Hackett’s. By James Otis. 
Christmas°T ree Scholar. By Frances Bent Dillingham. 
Dear Little Marchioness. 

The Story of a Child’s Faith and Love. 

Dick in the Desert. By James Otis. 

Divided Skates. By Evelyn Raymond. 

Gold Thread (The). By Norman MacLeod, D.D. 

Half a Dozen Thinking Caps. By Mary Leonard. 
How Tommy Saved the Barn. By James Otis. 
Ingleside. By Barbara Yechton. 

J. Cole. By Emma Gellibrand. 

Jessica’s First Prayer. By Hesba Stretton. 

Laddie. By the author of “ Miss Toosey’s Mission.” 
Little Crusaders. By Eva Madden. 

Little Sunshine’s Holiday. By Miss Mulock. 

Little Peter. By Lucas Malet. 

Master Sunshine. By Mrs. C. F. Fraser. 

Miss Toosey’s Mission. By the author of “ Laddie.” 
Musical Journey of Dorothy and Delia. 

By Bradley Gilman. 

Our Uncle, the Major. A Story of 1765. By James Otis. 
Pair of Them (A). By Evelyn Raymond. 

Playground Toni. By Anna Chapin Ray. 

Play Lady (The). By Ella Farman Pratt. 

Prince Prigio. By Andrew Lang. 

Short Cruise (A). By James Otis. 

Smoky Days. By Edward W. Thomson. 

Strawberry Hill. By Mrs. C. F. Fraser. 

Sunbeams and Moonbeams. By Louise R. Baker. 

Two and One. By Charlotte M. Vaile. 

Wreck of the Circus (The). By James Otis. 

Young Boss (The). By Edward W. Thomson. 


THOMAS Y. CROWELL & COMPANY, 

NEW YORK. 



























"IT IS LIKE A SNOWSTORM,” EXCLAIMED CARO, TAKING HER TURN AT 

JUMPING. See page 40. 





Gandte~ 
and fh «e Gaf 

(By 

oMary cf.IL&onard 



JV'ewl/orft . 

c7i ftomas i/. Grourel! i? Go. 
Publish'ers' 




THE LIBRARY OF 
CONGR£SS, 
Two Copies Received 

JUN. 13 1901 


Copyright entry 
Qt /nit 

CLASS XX c. N». 

// a/<r 


COPY B. 



Copyright, 1901, 


By THOMAS Y. CROWELL & CO. 


To the memory of 
TROLLEY 

This little story is dedicated 







Contents 


PAGE 


CHAPTER I 

Caro And Trolley I 

CHAPTER II 

The Silver Candlestick 8 

CHAPTER III 

The Gate In The Orchard 15 

CHAPTER IV 

The Grayson House 21 

CHAPTER V 

Trolley Goes Visiting 27 

CHAPTER VI 

A Local Snow Storm... 37 

CHAPTER VII 

In The Garden 46 

CHAPTER VIII 

Miss Elizabeth Receives A Shock 56 


v 


vi Contents 

PAGE 

CHAPTER IX 

Annette’s Window 63 

CHAPTER X 

Old Friends 69 

CHAPTER XI 

Christmas Candles 78 

CHAPTER XII 

Good-by 86 


The Candle andThe Cat 


CHAPTER I 

CARO AND TROLLEY 

At the entrance to the driveway leading to 
the residence occupied by the President of the 
Theological Seminary were two flat-topped 
stone pillars, and upon one of these on a cer- 
tain bright September day, Trolley sat sunning 
himself. 

His handsome coat, shading from a delicate 
fawn color to darkest brown, glistened like 
satin; his paws were tucked comfortably away 
beneath him, his long tail hung down behind, 
and his golden eyes were almost closed; only 
the occasional movement of his small aristo- 
cratic ears showed him to be awake. 

When Caro came dancing down from the 
house he turned his head for a moment and 
watched her sleepily till she was safely on top of 
the other pillar, where she seated herself Turk- 


2 


The Candle and The Cat 


fashion, her blue ruffles spread out carefully, 
for Aunt Charlotte had cautioned her not to 
rumple them. Caro had also been told not to 
go out without her hat, so it dangled by its 
elastic from her arm, while the sun shone down 
without hindrance upon the fair little face with 
its smiling blue eyes, and its crown of short 
brown curls. 

“ Trolley/’ she announced presently, “ here 
comes the Professor of something that begins 
with ‘ Ex,’ — I never can remember, it is such 
a funny word. It sounds like the book in the 
Bible where the Commandments are.” 

Dr. Wells, the dignified Professor of New 
Testament Exegesis unbent a little at sight of 
the novel ornaments on the president’s gate- 
posts. “ Why Miss Caro, you must have 
wings ! ” he said, smiling up at her. 

“Why no, I haven’t; and neither has Trol- 
ley. He just jumps, but I have to climb. You 
see that ledge there? — and this place — ?” 

“ Yes, my dear, that will do. Aren’t you 
afraid you will fall ? ” the professor exclaimed 
uneasily, as Caro leaned over to point out her 
way of ascent. “ I really think you had better 
get down.” 


Caro and Trolley 


3 


“ But it is very nice up here ; you can see so 
much,” the little girl assured him serenely, and 
Dr. Wells went his way wondering if he ought 
not to go up to the house and tell someone of 
her dangerous position. 

“ I am not a bit afraid I’ll fall. There’s not 
the least danger; is there Trolley? ” Caro con- 
tinued. 

Trolley opened his eyes, yawned scornfully 
and closed them again. 

“ There is one thing I am afraid of — at least 
I don’t like it, and that is the dark. I s’pose 
you don’t mind it ’cause you can see — I 
shouldn’t either if I could see in the dark. 
Aunt Charlotte says I mustn’t have a light to go 
to sleep by, and I love a light, — I just love it! ” 
Caro’s eyes had grown sorrowful and her voice 
had in it the sound of tears. 

On the porch of the house back among the 
trees Aunt Charlotte had waylaid the presi- 
dent. “ I don’t know what to do with Caro, 
Charles. She isn’t exactly naughty,— and yet 
you couldn’t say she was good either — ” 

“ You surprise me,” he replied, as his sister 
hesitated. “ She impresses me as a decided 
character for one so young.” 


4 


The Candle and The Cat 


“ Decided! I should say so! You know — ” 
Aunt Charlotte continued, “ Elinor put her in 
my charge to be dealt with as seemed to me 
best, and I did think after bringing up your 
five that I knew something about it, but my 
hand has lost its cunning. You know I have 
never allowed a child a light to go to sleep by, 
but Caro insists upon having one, and lies 
awake and cries without it. What am I to do ? 
Let her cry ? ” 

“ Oh no, I shouldn’t do that ! ” answered her 
brother hastily, gazing into his hat as if he 
hoped to find there some solution of the prob- 
lem. “ Suppose you let me consider the mat- 
ter,” he added, as the striking of the hall clock 
reminded him of his engagement ; “ I’ll talk 
to her.” 

“ Much good it will do,” said Aunt Char- 
lotte. 

With a book under his arm Dr. Barrows 
started out, so absorbed in thought of his 
small granddaughter that he passed through 
the gate without seeing her till she called, 
“ Goodby grandpa ! ” 

“ Why Caro ! Aren’t you afraid you will 
fall?” 


5 


Caro and Trolley 

Caro shook her curls vigorously, and then 
leaning forward she said plaintively, “ Grandpa 
— please don’t let Aunt Charlotte make me 
sleep in the dark.” 

“ I fear you are a foolish little girl,” replied 
the president meaning to look stern, but suc- 
ceeding only in smiling fondly at the witch on 
the pillar, who appropriated the smile and ig- 
nored the words. 

“ You know God made the darkness, Caro,” 
he continued, conscious that the remark was 
not quite original. 

“ Yes — ” unwillingly — then “ but grandpa, 
He put stars in His dark ! ” 

As Dr. Barrows walked down the street he 
reflected that he should have but a divided 
mind to give to seminary matters, if the pres- 
ent state of affairs continued, and the seminary 
needed his close attention just now. 

It was two weeks since his granddaughter 
had arrived to spend several months in his 
home while her father and mother were travel- 
ing. “ I am afraid we have spoiled her a 
little,” his daughter Elinor wrote, “ and hard 
as it is for me to give her up I feel sure it will 
be good for her to be in Aunt Charlotte’s hands 


6 


The Candle and The Cat 


for a time. I know you will love her and for- 
give her little failings, as you always did those 
of — 

“ Your devoted daughter.” 

Love her! he was fairly bewitched by her. 
He had thought a child in the house after so 
many years of quiet might be annoying, but 
on the contrary he would have liked to have 
her always with him. 

Aunt Charlotte was ready and anxious to do 
anything and everything for her dear Elinor’s 
child, but somehow her theories which had 
worked so well with her brother’s children did 
not seem to fit the next generation. 

The truth was that in her southern home 
Caro had been under a very different rule. 
Mammy ’Riah who had nursed her father be- 
fore her, had, to use her own words “ Taught 
her pretty manners,” and petted and scolded 
and worshipped her. The result puzzled Aunt 
Charlotte and delighted her brother. 

“ I can’t explain it,” he said, “ but the child 
has that something, — her grandmother had 
it — ” and here the president fell to musing over 


Caro and Trolley 7 

those far-away days when he had fallen in love 
with a pretty southern girl. 

“ Please don’t let her make me sleep in the 
dark : ” — Caro’s grandfather felt positively 
chivalrous in his determination to protect her — • 
from what ? His own dear sister in whose wis- 
dom and devotion he had rested all these years ! 


CHAPTER II 


THE SILVER CANDLESTICK 

It is not for a moment to be supposed that 
Trolley appeared in the first chapter simply be- 
cause he was picturesque. He was undoubtedly 
handsome, and had a remarkable gift for ele- 
gant attitudes. He would pose as dignity and 
wisdom personified in the president’s arm chair, 
or stretch himself in careless grace on Aunt 
Charlotte’s choicest divan, and had even been 
known to make a mantel ornament of himself 
in an aspiring mood. 

But above all else Trolley had a mind of his 
own. For example he had chosen his home. 
He began life at the Graysons’ on Grayson 
avenue, but as soon as he was old enough to 
choose for himself he took up his abode with 
the President of the Seminary. 

Aunt Charlotte did not particularly care for 
cats, and furthermore did not covet anything 
that was her neighbor’s, so again and again 
8 


The Silver Candlestick 9 

Trolley was sent back, all to no purpose, and 
at length he was allowed to have his way. 

This was just at the time when the Graysons 
and some others were bringing suit to prevent 
the laying of a trolley line on the avenue, and 
between the progressive people who wished 
more rapid transportation than the stage which 
passed back and forth once an hour, and the 
old-fashioned residents who feared to have the 
beauty of their street destroyed, and their quiet 
disturbed by clanging bells and buzzing wheels, 
feeling had grown exceedingly bitter. 

Dr. Barrows himself had no special interest 
in the matter, but some members of his family 
were warm supporters of the railway, and when 
the suit was decided in its favor one of his 
nephews named the cat in honor of the event. 

As Trolley he was known from that hour, 
and he grew so large and handsome that even 
Aunt Charlotte came to take pride in him. He 
was amiable in disposition, but distant in man- 
ner to all except Caro, who had won his heart 
as he had won hers, at first sight. 

He forgot his dignity and raced with her in 
the garden like a frolicsome kitten, when she 
was tired he allowed himself to be made a pil- 


IO 


The Candle and The Cat 


low of, and to all her confidences he listened 
with a sympathetic purr. In fact he did all he 
could to keep her from being homesick. 

There were of course times when his own 
affairs demanded his attention. Bobby Brown 
a yellow cat who lived two doors away needed 
an occasional setting down for instance, and 
other matters of this kind sometimes kept him 
away for a day. It was on one of these occa- 
sions that Caro quite tired out with searching 
for him sat down on the doorstep and began 
to miss mamma and the boys — ‘ just dread- 
fully.’ 

“ I am going to do some shopping; do you 
want to come ? ” asked her grandfather’s voice 
behind her. 

The clouds flew from her face in a minute, 
for shopping with grandfather always meant 
something interesting, if only a glass of ice 
cream soda. 

As they walked down town together, Caro 
chattered away without a pause. 

“ Are you going to buy something for me, 
grandpa ? ” she asked as they entered a large 
grocery. 

“ I want to see some wax candles in different 


The Silver Candlestick 


ii 


colors/’ Dr. Barrows said to the clerk who 
came forward. 

“ Why that sounds like Christmas or a birth- 
day,” exclaimed Caro. 

But the candles brought out were too large 
for Christmas trees, or cakes. They were of 
all colors, and some were plain, others fluted. 

“ What color do you prefer, Caro ? ” her 
grandfather asked. 

It was difficult to decide among so many 
pretty ones, and she hung over them with a 
finger on her lip and an expression of great 
earnestness on her face. 

“ The pink is lovely — and so is the blue, only 
not quite so pretty, — and the green, and — yes 
I like the violet too — ” 

“ We’ll have to take one of each, I see,” said 
the president; and this greatly simplified the 
matter. Six candles were selected — blue, pink, 
green, red, violet and yellow, and these were 
done up in a white paper parcel and handed 
to Caro. 

“ Now grandpa, what are we going to do 
with them ? ” she asked when they were on the 
street again. 

“ That is a secret.” 


12 


The Candle and The Cat 


Caro gave a little jump of excitement. “ I 
love secrets ; ” “ Please tell me what it is.” 

“ Then it wouldn’t be a secret any longer.” 

“ But — two people can know a secret, and I 
promise truly, bluely, I’ll not tell.” 

“ I’ll see about it when we get home,” her 
grandfather replied, thereby causing her to be 
in such a flutter of anticipation that as he told 
her, he might as well have tried to keep step 
with a yellow butterfly. 

When at last they reached the study, Caro 
looked on with deep interest while her grand- 
father unlocked a cabinet and took from it a 
small silver candlestick of beautiful design. 

“ How pretty ! Is it to put the candles 
in?” 

Dr. Barrows glanced up at the portrait of a 
sweet-faced young woman in an old-fashioned 
gown, as he replied. 

“ This candlestick belonged to your grand- 
mother, Caro, when she was a little girl, and 
now I am going to give it to another little girl 
who has her name, and who sometimes reminds 
me of her. You are to put one of the candles 
in it and put it on your dressing table, and 
when the gas is out after you go to bed you can 


The Silver Candlestick 13 

have a little candle-light to keep you from 
being lonely.” 

“You are the dearest, sweetest, goodest 
grandpa in the world ! ” Caro exclaimed with 
a ferocious hug. “ The dear little candlestick ! 
I’ll never be lonesome any more.” 

Aunt Charlotte shook her head and called it 
a compromise, when the plan was explained to 
her, but made no real objection to it. 

There was a faculty meeting that evening in 
the president’s study, and two of the members 
had arrived and were talking with their host 
when a shrill voice was heard prying : “ Go 

away Jane, I will call him! O grandpa!” 

Dr. Barrows rose hastily and left the room, 
saying : “ Excuse me gentlemen, my little 

granddaughter is calling me.” 

From the hall he had a vision of Caro — her 
small red slippers peeping out from her long 
white gown, her curly head looking over the 
stair rail. Behind her was Jane, the upstairs 
maid whispering sternly, “ Come back Caro 
this minute, you are a naughty girl ! ” 

“ I just want you to see my candle lighted, 
grandpa,” Caro said hopping down three steps 
to meet him, and taking his hand while Jane 


The Candle and The Cat 


H 

retired shaking her head. She stood in great 
awe of the president, and in her eyes a faculty 
meeting was almost as sacred as a church serv- 
ice. 

“ You can turn the gas out, grandpa,” Caro 
said, as after leading the way into her room, 
she merrily kicked off the red slippers and 
bounded into the middle of the bed. 

From the door Jane saw the president laugh- 
ing as he stooped to kiss the saucy face. 

Caro snuggled down beneath the cover and 
when the gas was turned out, from the dressing 
table came the clear, soft light of the candle. 

“ It is my little candle-star, grandpa, and I 
don’t mind the dark now, ’cause I can see it, 
and it is soft and nice.” 

“ You are a funny child, Caro,” her grand- 
father said, stroking her hair. “ Suppose you 
try to be a little candle yourself.” 

“ Why how could I ? ” Caro sat up much 
interested. 

“We’ll talk about it to-morrow; they are 
waiting for me in the study, I must go.” 

“ Well I think I’ll be a pink one,” remarked 
Caro meditatively, and Dr. Barrows went down 
stairs with a smile on his lips. 


CHAPTER III 


THE GATE IN THE ORCHARD 

Caro was in great haste to tell Marjorie 
about her candle, and when she went skipping 
around the corner next morning she met Mar- 
jorie skipping in her direction. 

“ Why I was coming to see you ” they both 
exclaimed. 

Marjorie’s father was a younger brother of 
Caro’s grandfather, and their home was not far 
from the seminary. The little girls had already 
become good friends, but as Marjorie had been 
out of town with her mother they had not seen 
each other for several days. 

“ You come to my house, Caro, for I have 
something to show you,” her cousin said. 

“ Well, let’s go to the orchard then,” Caro 
suggested. 

One of the many pleasant things about 
Charmington was that it combined the delights 
of city and country. Down on Main street 
15 


i6 


The Candle and The Cat 


there were stores large enough to supply all 
reasonable desires, and yet five minutes’ walk 
in any direction brought you to the region of 
wide lawns and forest trees ; and back of some 
of the pretty dwellings were orchards and 
gardens in which you could easily forget there 
was a town anywhere about. So it was in the 
Barrows orchard, for years a favorite play- 
ground for the children of the family. 

Marjorie had some paper dolls and a new 
book to show Caro, and these they carried with 
them. 

“ Let’s run, so Tom won’t see us and want 
to come,” she said. 

Little Tom Turner who lived next door, was 
in her opinion only useful as a playmate when 
she had no one else, or to make up the neces- 
sary number in some game, usually it was more 
fun to run away from him. So they raced 
through the long grass, brown curls and flaxen 
braids bobbing up and down in their haste. 

At the extreme end of the orchard there was 
a large flat stone under a pear tree, and here 
they sat down to get breath and look at the 
dolls and the book. 

Marjorie had a great deal to tell about her 


The Gate in the Orchard 17 

visit, and as she listened Caro’s eyes presently 
made a discovery. “ Why there’s a gate ! where 
does it go ? ” she asked. 

The boundary line of the Barrows’ grounds 
was marked by a rough stone wall, against 
which grew currant and gooseberry bushes, and 
almost hidden by these she noticed now for the 
first time a gate. 

“ Why Caro I’ll tell you, the people who 
live over there aren’t nice at all. They got mad 
at papa because of the trolley line, and they 
won’t give any money to the seminary because 
they are mad at Uncle Charles too.” 

Persons who could be angry at her grand- 
father certainly could not be nice, Caro thought. 
“ But what was the gate for ? ” she asked. 

“ A long time ago when Sister Alice and 
Brother Charlie were little they used to play 
with the Graysons.” 

“ Oh, are there children there ? ” 

“ No, indeed; that was a long time ago; but 
Caro — ” Marjorie’s voice sank to a whisper — 
“ there’s a man over there who has something 
the matter with him. He can’t walk, and a 
servant pushes him around in a chair. No- 
body ever sees him, but one day I peeped over 


i8 


The Candle and The Cat 


the fence and there he was, all wrapped up and 
— dear ! but I was scared ! ” 

“ He couldn’t hurt you, could he? ” 

“ No — I suppose not, but he might say some- 
thing to me.” 

“ Well that wouldn’t hurt. I’d like to see 
him,” said Caro. 

All this was so interesting she had come near 
forgetting her candle. Now she thought of it 
and told Marjorie about it. “ Just think,” she 
added, “ my own grandmother’s candlestick — 
when she was a little girl.” 

“ I think I’ll ask mamma to give me one,” 
Marjorie said. 

“ What did grandpa mean when he said he 
wanted me to be a candle? Do you know?” 

“ He meant you must be good, I ’spect,” 
Marjorie replied in an offhand manner as she 
picked some Spanish needles from her dress. 

“ Candles aren’t good ; that’s silly,” said 
Caro scornfully. 

“ I don’t care, he meant something like that ; 
you ask him.” 

She did ask him that evening. It was just 
at twilight and Dr. Barrows was sealing a letter 
to his daughter when Caro seated herself on the 


The Gate in the Orchard 19 

arm of his chair. “ Can I talk to you 
grandpa ? ” she asked ; and as if he too wished 
to join in the conversation, Trolley, with one 
silent spring was on the study table, close to 
the president’s elbow. 

“ He’ll do for a paper weight, won’t he ? ” 
laughed Caro, as the cat gravely seated himself 
on the notes for to-morrow’s lecture. “ And 
he can lick your stamps for you,” she added. 

Her grandfather laughed a little at this 
bright idea. “ Well Mischief,” he asked, 
“ what do you wish to talk about? ” 

“ I want to know how I can be a candle? ” 

“ What do candles do ? ” 

“ Shine?” 

“ Yes; they make a little brightness — give a 
little cheer. Can’t my girl do that ? ” 

“ Marjorie said you meant ‘ be good.’ ” 

“ Well — yes, only I should say be loving and 
kind. There are so many sad, lonely, worried 
people in the world, who need a little cheer. 
The very best way to be a candle is to love 
people, Caro.” 

“ I love you, grandpa ! ” 

“ And you bring a great deal of cheer into my 
life, dear.” 


20 


The Candle and The Cat 


“ Do I ? ” with a pleased laugh. She put her 
arms around her grandfather’s neck and pressed 
her cheek to his for a moment, then with a 
sudden change from seriousness to mischief, 
she turned to Trolley. “ Pussie,” she said, 
“ you must be a candle too. You must love 
me, and you mustn’t be cross when there isn’t 
any cream on your milk — and we’ll both shine 
together.” 


CHAPTER IV 

THE GRAYSON HOUSE 

On pleasant afternoons the president and his 
little granddaughter were frequently to be seen 
walking down street together. Aunt Char- 
lotte found it very little trouble in these days 
to get her brother to take his constitutional. 
The sight of Caro looking like an autumn sprite 
in her red jacket, was enough. 

“ Come grandpa, it is time for our walk,” she 
would announce, and Dr. Barrows would 
obediently lay down his pen or his book, and 
follow. And the sight of her happy, rosy face, 
as she frisked about in the fallen leaves, the 
sound of her merry voice as she asked innumer- 
able questions, made him forget his anxiety 
over seminary affairs, and before he knew it he 
was looking up at the blue sky, breathing deeply 
the delicious air, with something of the same 
joyousness. 


21 


12 


The Candle and The Cat 


“ Grandpa, don’t you think that is a beauti- 
ful house? ” 

They were walking out Grayson avenue, and 
as Caro spoke she pointed to a large old-fash- 
ioned mansion of gray stone, with a row of 
stately pillars across its front. It stood in the 
midst of extensive grounds where were many 
fine trees and shrubs, in the background hot- 
houses were to be seen, and nearer the street a 
fountain was sending up a silvery shower. 

A cloud crossed the president’s face as he 
replied ; “ Yes, dear, it is a beautiful place. 
That is where Trolley once lived.” 

“ Are there any children there ? ” she asked. 

“ No ; Miss Grayson and her invalid brother 
live there alone.” 

It was a very large house for just two per- 
sons, Caro thought. “ Did Trolley belong to 
the sick brother? ” she asked. 

“ I don’t know ; perhaps so.” 

“ Don’t you suppose he was sorry? ” 

“ Very likely, but it couldn’t be helped you 
know, Trolley was determined to live with us.” 

“ I am glad he did,” said Caro. 

She couldn’t ask any more questions for 
Professor Rice joined them and began to talk 


2 3 


The Grayson House 

to her grandfather, but she could think, and 
it presently occurred to her that this must be 
the place that adjoined Marjorie's orchard. 
She walked along very soberly, her mind full of 
the sick man no one ever saw, and the gate 
that was never opened. 

When she and Marjorie went over on the 
avenue to mail a letter not long after this, Caro 
asked, “ Did you know that your gate opened 
into the garden of the Grayson house ? ” 

“ Why yes, of course. Look Caro ! there's 
Miss Elizabeth now ! ” 

They were almost at the gate, and as Mar- 
jorie spoke a tall, handsome woman crossed the 
sidewalk and entered the carriage that was wait- 
ing for her. 

“ Doesn’t she look cross ! ” Marjorie ex- 
claimed. 

But Caro was too much impressed with her 
elegance to consider her expression, which was 
not cross, by the way, only extremely sad. 

“ Let’s play dressing up,” she proposed, 
“ and I bid to be Miss Grayson.” 

Marjorie was willing and chose to be Mrs. 
Rice the professor’s wife who had at present 
the distinction of being the seminary bride. As 


24 


The Candle and The Cat 


a coachman was needed, little Tom Turner who 
sat on the curbstone longing for an invitation, 
was offered the position, and perched on a piano 
stool in front of a steamer chair he drove his 
spirited horses — two rocking chairs — with 
great skill. 

Miss Grayson in an old silk gown of Aunt 
Charlotte’s swept into her carriage with aston- 
ishing dignity any number of times that morn- 
ing, followed by Mrs. Rice in a flowered 
kimono. 

When they grew tired of this play they went 
to the orchard, and there Caro decided that it 
would be quite easy to climb the wall if you 
didn’t mind the currant bushes. 

“ You’d better not,” cried Marjorie, shocked 
at such audacity, but when she was assured 
that it was just lovely up there, she could not 
resist and she and Tom followed. 

It was an old-fashioned garden into which 
the children looked, already rather brown and 
bare except for a few chrysanthemums and 
asters, but still with a beauty of its own quite 
different from the smooth elegance of the 
grounds in front of the house. 


2 5 


The Grayson House 

They sat there full of delight over their ad- 
venture, craning their necks to see as far as 
possible into this unknown land, when there 
came the sound of footsteps on the fallen leaves. 

Marjorie was down in an instant, and Tom 
after her, but Caro waited till an invalid’s chair 
appeared, rolled by a tall colored man. In the 
midst of the rugs and shawls a handsome, boy- 
ish face was to be seen, and Caro who had ex- 
pected — she didn’t know what — was so sur- 
prised that instead of slipping down after Mar- 
jorie as she had intended she sat perfectly still. 

“ Stop just here Thompson, I must have that 
bit of view through the trees,” said the occu- 
pant of the chair, and Caro saw he had a 
camera. 

She watched with interest till the right posi- 
tion was found and the picture taken. 

“ Now turn me around, so I can get that 
white birch against the stone wall.” 

Close to the birch sat Caro. “ Wait a minute 
and I’ll get down,” she called, remembering 
how provoked Brother Arthur was when she 
got in his way. 

“ Stay just where you are,” a decided voice 


26 


The Candle and The Cat 


commanded, and Caro staid, feeling not unlike 
the convicts at the prison who had to have their 
pictures taken whether they liked it or not. 

It was over in a second and then down she 
scrambled and ran after the other children. 

“Caro! what made you so long? what did 
you see? ” Marjorie cried. 

“ Nothing but two men ; but Marjorie they 
took my picture ! ” 

** Oh Caro, maybe they are going to arrest 
you ! ” 

“ I don’t believe they are,” Caro answered 
gravely, “ for do you know Marjorie he — the 
sick man I mean — is very nice looking.” 

As they walked back to the house she added, 
“ Just think how dreadful it must be not to be 
able to walk.” 


CHAPTER V 


TROLLEY GOES VISITING 

“ Grandpa tell me about the Graysons 
please.” 

Dr. Barrows hesitated, for it was to him a 
sad story. He and Caro sat together on the 
wide hall sofa watching the wood fire that had 
been started for the f\rst time that afternoon. 
Close to the hearth Trolley lay at full length 
washing one of his front paws with a profes- 
sional air. 

“ I am dreadfully afraid it is going to rain,” 
Caro said. 

“ Why my dear it is as clear as clear can 
be ! ” her grandfather exclaimed. 

“ It is sure to if Trolley washes behind his 
ears,” she answered wisely, “ But do tell me 
please about the Graysons.” 

So, as he did not like to refuse anything to 
that curly head now leaning against his 
shoulder, her grandfather told her about the 
27 


The Candle and The Cat 


28 

handsome Miss Elizabeth who when only a girl 
had taken charge of her father’s house and 
given a mother’s care to her young brother and 
sister. 

“ What were their names? ” asked Caro. 

“ Walter and Annette.” 

“ And they used to play with Charlie and 
Alice ; didn’t they ? ” 

“ Yes,” answered her grandfather, with a 
sigh, “ Those were happy days. Well after a 
while Mr. Grayson the father died, and then 
little Annette, and there were only Miss Eliza- 
beth and Walter left in that great house. All 
Miss Elizabeth’s love was lavished on this 
brother and he was worthy of it — a wonder- 
fully fine fellow.” 

Something in her grandfather’s tone caused 
Caro to ask, “ Did he die too? ” 

“ No, but in the midst of his college course 
he lost his health. It was a strange, strange 
thing, for he seemed perfectly well and strong, 
and ever since then he has been growing more 
helpless each year.” 

“ And couldn’t anybody cure him ? ” 

“No one ; although his sister took him to the 
wisest physicians in this country and abroad. 


2 9 


Trolley Goes Visiting 

They were away for a long time but now they 
have come home and have shut themselves in 
with their sorrow.” 

“ Marjorie said they weren’t nice,” put in 
Caro. 

“ Marjorie ought not to say that ; she does 
not understand. It was the trolley line on 
Grayson avenue that made the trouble. Your 
Uncle Horace was president of the railway com- 
pany, and this made the Graysons angry with 
him, and it caused a break between the 
families.” 

Dr. Barrows did not tell how he had at- 
tempted to act as peacemaker and had been re- 
ceived by Miss Elizabeth with a cold disdain 
which showed him that he was included in the 
bitter feeling she had toward his brother. And 
what troubled him most was that in this way 
his beloved seminary had lost one of its best 
friends and most generous contributors. 

“ Miss Elizabeth is a good woman,” he 
added ; “ she built our beautiful chapel in mem- 
ory of her father and sister, — she can be gen- 
erous and kind, and I for one cannot speak 
hardly of her, knowing her great sorrow. I 
only wish I could do something for her.” 


30 The Candle and The Cat 

“ Grandpa I have seen Walter, and I think 
he is very nice looking. I saw him over the 
fence at Marjorie’s and — ” 

“ My dear I think you’d better keep away 
from the fence. I fear you have been prying,” 
was the reply, and Caro did not tell the rest 
of her story. 

After she was in bed that night she lay awake 
for a long time watching the little candle-star 
and thinking of the young man who would 
never walk .again. Her grandfather’s tone in 
speaking of him had impressed her deeply. 
Walter must be one of those sad, lonely people 
who needed a little cheer, and she wished so 
much she could do something for him. Just 
before she fell asleep an idea came into her 
head. 

Trojley — a vision of graceful curves — was 
watching some sparrows quarreling together in 
the top of a maple tree next day when Caro 
pounced upon him. 

“ You are going to be a candle and take a 
little cheer to a person who is lonely — at least 
I think he is, and if I were lonely I’d like to 
have you come to see me, for you are a great 
comfort.” 


Trolley Goes Visiting 31 

Trolley amiably allowed himself to be 
gathered up into her arms, taking the precau- 
tion however to fasten his claws securely in the 
shoulder of her red jacket. 

It was very quiet around the seminary when 
Caro with the cat made a short cut across the 
campus to the avenue. A few minutes earlier 
on her way home from market with Aunt 
Charlotte, she had caught a glimpse as they 
passed the Grayson house, of the muffled figure 
in the invalid chair far back near the green- 
houses. 

“ I do hope he is still there, Trolley,” she 
said, beginning to feel a little breathless, for 
her burden was by no means light. “ And I 
hope we won’t meet a dog, for you’ll be sure 
to run if we do,” she added. 

The Graysons’ gate was reached however 
without accident, no dog appeared, and the in- 
valid was still where she had seen him, but as 
she went up the gravel walk Caro began to wish 
she had not come. She almost expected to hear 
Miss Elizabeth calling to her to know what she 
was doing there. 

Walter Grayson sat alone in the sunshine, 
looking straight before him at a pot of great 


The Candle and The Cat 


3 2 

r 

curly white Chrysanthemums, and as Caro 
made no noise in crossing the grass he was not 
conscious of her approach until a deep drawn 
sigh at his elbow caused him to turn with a 
start. 

It would have been impossible to carry Trol- 
ley another step; too much out of breath to 
speak, and with cheeks which matched her 
jacket, she rested his weight on the broad arm 
of the chair while she unhooked his front paws 
from her shoulder. Walter watched her with 
very evident surprise. 

“ He sticks dreadfully,” she said, struggling 
with the burr-like paws. 

“ I should say so the detaching process was 
rather funny, and the invalid smiled. 

Caro was feeling a little shy, and the smile 
put her at her ease. She had lived all her life 
among people who loved and petted her, and 
it did not enter her mind that she could be un- 
welcome anywhere unless she was naughty. 

“ I thought maybe you’d like to see him,” 
she explained. 

“ He is very handsome ; is he your cat ? ” 

“ Why just see! He likes you,” Caro ex- 


Trolley Goes Visiting 33 

claimed, as after a few preliminary turns, Trol- 
ley curled himself up on the soft rugs and be- 
gan to purr, thus expressing his unqualified 
approval of this resting place. 

“ Aren’t you the little girl I saw on the fence 
the other day? Why did you run away?” 

Caro laughed ; “ I don’t know,” she said ; 
and then feeling that her presence to-day needed 
to be explained more fully, she added, “ I 
thought maybe you’d like to see Trolley, be- 
cause he is such a comfort to me when I am 
lonely.” 

“ And did you think I was lonely ? ” There 
was a cloud on the young man’s face as he 
spoke. 

“ I thought you must be,” she said simply, 
“ because you can’t go everywhere.” 

“Then why are you lonely? You can go 
where you please.” 

“ But I miss mamma and papa and the boys 
sometimes, and then — ” she leaned against his 
chair and spoke in a confidential tone, “ I’m 
afraid of the dark.” 

“ So am I,” Walter remarked gravely. 

“ Are you ? I didn’t know grown up people 


34 


The Candle and The Cat 


ever were — but if you’ll just get a candle you 
won’t be — any more. The dark is very nice 
when you can see it.” 

As Walter seemed interested, watching her 
gravely as he stroked Trolley, Caro went on to 
explain more fully about the candle, and how 
her grandfather had said she could be one her- 
self. “ And so,” she concluded, “ I thought 
Trolley might be a candle too, and bring you 
a little cheer.” 

“ I am much obliged. What do you say his 
name is? ” Walter asked. 

“ Cousin Charlie named him for the trolley 
cars; wasn’t that funny? And he used to live 
here you know — that is why I thought you 
would like to see him. He came to our house 
and just would stay, though Aunt Charlotte 
sent him back ever so many times.” 

“ I believe I do recall something of the kind. 
He was one of my sister’s pets.” 

“ Do you suppose she’d like to see him ? ” 
Caro asked. 

A smile flitted across Walter’s face as he re- 
plied, “ I really don’t know ; she is out this 
morning.” 

The conversation was brought to an end by 


35 


Trolley Goes Visiting 

the appearance of Thompson, who was no doubt 
greatly surprised to find a little girl and a 
striped cat with his master. 

“ I think I’d better go,” Caro said, “ Aunt 
Charlotte might want me, but Trolley can stay 
awhile if you’d like to have him.” 

Trolley as if to expostulate against being 
disturbed, tucked his head almost out of sight 
and curled up tighter than before. No one 
could have had the heart to disturb him. 

“ She is the child we saw on the fence the 
other day, Thompson,” Mr. Grayson explained 
as Caro ran off. 

“ Yes, sir; ” Thompson replied, watching till 
the red jacket disappeared in the distance; 
“ She’s visiting here — she’s Dr. Barrow’s 
granddaughter ; I have seen her playing about. 
Shall I take you down through the garden 
sir? ” 

As he was wheeled along the sunny path 
there was a smile on Walter’s face. Caro had 
been right, he was lonely, and after the first 
moment he had not resented her sympathy, and 
now the pressure of Trolley’s very substantial 
frame against his arm, the thought of the little 
girl’s face as she told about her candle, gave 


36 


The Candle and The Cat 


him a new sense of companionship. When he 
had said he too was afraid of the dark, he was 
thinking of the future which once had been so 
bright to him, and over which the clouds had 
gathered so heavily; but a little cheer had 
found its way to his heart, and he could smile. 

“ Thompson, you needn’t mention it to Miss 
Elizabeth, — the child having been here I mean 
— it might annoy her.” 

“ No sir ; ” was the reply. “ And I hope 
she’ll come again,” he added to himself, for he 
did not approve of the dreary, shut-in life led 
by his master. 


CHAPTER VI 


A LOCAL SNOW STORM 

After Caro reached home she began to be 
afraid that Trolley would not come back and 
the thought made her rather unhappy, but just 
as the lunch bell rang he came trotting across 
the lawn. She was watching at the window 
and ran to open the door, giving him such a 
warm welcome that the president who saw it, 
remarked to Aunt Charlotte, “ I don’t know 
what Caro would do without that cat.” 

That very day Dr. Barrows left town on 
seminary business and was gone several weeks. 
Hard times had effected the seminary, an 
effort must be made to increase its funds, and 
this was the task the president had before him. 
In this way it happened that he heard nothing 
of the visit to Walter Grayson. 

Caro missed him very much, for although 
she and Aunt Charlotte were beginning to 
understand each other, they would never be 
37 


38 The Candle and The Cat 

the intimate friends she and her grandfather 
were. 

When Marjorie heard the story she ex- 
claimed, “ Why Caro ! You had better not let 
Aunt Charlotte know; she’ll scold you like 
everything.” 

Caro was puzzled. Her grandfather had 
said he was sorry for the Graysons and wished 
he could do something for them. She had 
thought of something — surely this couldn’t be 
wrong, and yet she felt Marjorie was probably 
right when she said Aunt Charlotte would not 
approve. 

About this time the little girls began to have 
lessons together every morning, sitting in small 
chairs on either side of the cutting table in their 
aunt’s bedroom. They read from a small green 
volume called “ Little Annie’s Third Book,” a 
favorite of Aunt Charlotte’s, from which she 
had taught the children of the family for the 
last forty years. Caro privately thought it 
rather silly, but accepted it because mamma had 
read in it when she was little. 

Caro meant to try very hard while grandpa 
was away, to be a pleasure and not an annoy- 
ance to her aunt and Jane, so she might have 


A Local Snow Storm 


39 


a good report for him when he returned. Dur- 
ing the first week she succeeded so well that 
Aunt Charlotte remarked to her sister-in-law, 
Marjorie’s mother, that she had never known 
two better children than those little girls. 

Alas! it was not long before she was com- 
pelled to change her opinion. 

One afternoon when the ground was damp 
and Marjorie had a cold, Miss Barrows told 
them they might play in the garret. It hap- 
pened to be her reception day, and up there, she 
thought, with the door closed they might make 
all the noise they pleased without disturbing 
the elegant repose of her drawing room. 

Little Tom who as usual was hanging 
around, was graciously invited in, and the three 
ran off in high spirits. 

“ I don’t think there is anything there they 
can possibly hurt,” Aunt Charlotte said to her- 
self. 

Now in this long, low room, near the front 
windows was an old four post bedstead, upon 
which was a large feather bed. It had not been 
in use for a long time, and Aunt Charlotte was 
planning to make some pillows out of it. Noth- 
ing could have offered a more alluring play- 


40 


The Candle and The Cat 


ground than this mountainous bed; to climb 
upon the cedar chest which stood near, and take 
a flying leap into the middle of it, was tremen- 
dous fun. 

The excitement was growing when Marjorie 
made a discovery. “ Caro ! ” she cried, “ the 
feathers are coming out ! ” 

Sure enough on one side of the mattress 
there was a long rip, and from it the feathers 
were beginning to fly. 

“ It is like a snowstorm,” exclaimed Caro, 
taking her turn at jumping. 

“ Goody, a snowstorm ! Let’s pretend it’s 
snowing,” Marjorie cried, and Tom clapped his 
hands and danced with joy at the idea. 

Such active exercise was heating, so they put 
up the windows and then the fun grew fast and 
furious. Around and around they went ; up on 
the chest, over on the bed, down on the floor, 
screaming and laughing, while the feathers flew 
in all directions, and the bed grew smaller and 
smaller. 

Trolley who looked in through the half open 
door to see what was going on, ran down stairs 
in disgust, and sitting on the bottom step of the 
last flight sneezed and sneezed till Miss Bar- 


A Local Snow Storm 


4i 


rows who was entertaining Mrs. Rice in the 
parlor couldn’t help wondering aloud what was 
the matter with that cat! 

“ What charming children your little nieces 
are, Miss Barrows,” Mrs. Rice remarked as 
she rose to go. 

Aunt Charlotte replied in gratified tones that 
they were nice children, then as she opened the 
door for her visitor, she exclaimed. “ Can it 
be snowing?” 

“ Surely not ; it is as mild as May,” said the 
visitor. 

But certainly the air was full of something 
very like snow; both ladies were puzzled. 

“ Why Miss Barrows it is feathers! ” Mrs- 
Rice cried, picking an unmistakable goose 
feather from her sleeve. “ See ! ” 

Aunt Charlotte stepped to the edge of the 
porch and looked up; yes, they came from the 
third story windows, accompanied by a sound 
of great merriment. Forgetting ceremony, she 
left her visitor without a word, and climbed 
the stairs as fast as her portly frame allowed. 

What a scene met her eye ! A scene of feath- 
ers and wild hilarity. Breathing was almost 
impossible and she quickly withdrew to the 


42 


The Candle and The Cat 


hall where, rapping sternly on the door, she 
called “ Children ! children ! what does this 
mean ? ” 

Presto ! What a change ! Three perspiring, 
befeathered children came suddenly to them- 
selves and stared at one another in dismay. 

“ We’ll sweep them up and put them back, 
Aunt Charlotte,” said Caro. 

“ I told Caro there was a rip, and that the 
feathers would come out,” explained Marjorie 
in a tone of injured innocence. 

Quite speechless, Tom slid off the bed, now 
a tearful sight in its dwindled proportions. 

“ I never heard of such badness,” Aunt 
Charlotte gasped, and leaning over the railing 
she called, “ Jane — Jane ! bring a whisk broom 
here.” 

Jane came and the culprits were led into an- 
other room and brushed and shaken until they 
were thoroughly bewildered. 

“ I’d rather pick chickens and be done with 
it,” Jane remarked in disgust. 

“ Aunt Charlotte never said we mustn’t,” 
Marjorie sobbed. 

“ Well who would ever have thought of your 


A Local Snow Storm 43 

doing a thing like this! Feathers all over the 
neighborhood ! ” 

Caro giggled nervously. 

“ Oh yes, I’d laugh — it’s very funny. Just 
wait till your grandfather hears about it ! ” 
Caro had a saucy reply on the end of her 
tongue, but the thought of grandpa, checked it. 
“ Let your little candle remind you to be a 
pleasure and comfort to Aunt Charlotte while 
I am away,” he had said. 

She had meant to be good, and she had been 
dreadfully naughty, the sight of the disordered 
room and the sorry looking mattress, and the 
feather-strewn lawn, was proof enough. 

She listened meekly when, dismissing Tom, 
Aunt Charlotte took them into her room and to 
use her own words, gave them a talking to. 

“ What do you suppose Mrs. Rice thinks ? 
Why our lawn might be a barnyard, — she actu- 
ally thought it was snow ! ” 

In spite of her repentance this made Caro 
smile, and her aunt shook her head solemnly, 
saying “ I don’t know what to do with you 
Caroline ; I am ashamed of you ! ” 

“ But I’m truly sorry Aunt Charlotte.” 


44 


The Candle and The Cat 


“ If you are I don’t see why you laugh. Now 
I believe Marjorie is sorry/’ and Miss Barrows 
looked with approval at that tearful maiden. 

As if this were not disgrace enough for one 
household, Trolley after he had recovered from 
the feathers made his way into the kitchen and 
stole one of the birds the cook was preparing 
for supper. 

Caro found him at dusk sitting in solemn 
majesty before the hall fire, quite as if nothing 
had happened. 

“ Trolley,” she said, getting down beside 
him on the rug, “ do you know you have been 
naughty too ? ” 

He rubbed his head against her hand in a 
manner that said as plainly as words, “ Pet 
me. 

“ Did you get a spanking, Trolley? I don’t 
know what Aunt Charlotte is going to do to me. 
You are so nice and soft; you are a great com- 
fort.” As Caro made a pillow of him Trolley 
broke into a loud purr. 

“ I am sorry I was naughty — I just didn’t 
think a bit. It was such fun to see the feathers 
fly. I wanted to be good while grandpa was 
away, and now I’ve spoiled it. Oh dear, I wish 


A Local Snow Storm 


45 

mamma would come and take me home, I am 
so lonesome ! ” 

Trolley didn’t understand how anyone could 
be unhappy before such a pleasant fire, with 
him for company, and he continued to purr 
loudly while Caro’s tears fell fast. His view 
of things prevailed after a while, and when 
Aunt Charlotte came down stairs she found 
the two curled up together on the rug, fast 
asleep. 

The tear stains on Caro’s cheek softened her. 
Perhaps the child really felt more than she 
showed, and she decided she would not take 
away her candle that night as a punishment, as 
she had thought of doing. More than this she 
let her have peach preserves for supper. 

The preserves went to Caro’s heart and made 
her more penitent than ever. “ I’m truly going 
to be good after this, and I’ll help Jane pick up 
the feathers,” she said as she kissed her aunt 
good-night. 


CHAPTER VII 

IN THE GARDEN 

Everybody agreed that the weather was re- 
markable that fall ; far into November it lasted 
warm and bright, and Walter Grayson who 
found life more endurable under the open sky 
than within four walls, spent a large part of 
each day out of doors attended by his faithful 
Thompson. 

Caro’s visit had stirred anew his longing for 
the old companionships that had once been his. 
When at length after their long absence they 
had decided to come home, he had looked for- 
ward to it almost eagerly, but his sister whose 
pride shrank from sympathy took it for granted 
that to meet his old acquaintances could be only 
painful to him, and those who had ventured to 
call were not admitted. 

Walter was in the habit of acquiescing in her 
decisions, and in the first shock of his illness 
he had felt the same shrinking from pity, but 
46 


In the Garden 


47 


now the sense of loneliness was becoming al- 
most unbearable. As he was wheeled about 
the garden he lived over again the merry days 
of his childhood, and the quarrel that had sepa- 
rated him from those he had cared most for, 
seemed a small matter in the light of these 
memories. 

The Graysons had long been people of wealth 
and influence in Charmington, and in Miss 
Elizabeth’s opinion it was a direct insult when 
her wishes were ignored and the beauty of the 
avenue which had been named for her grand- 
father was, as she thought, forever ruined. 
That her personal friends could side against 
her, added to the bitterness. She refused to 
see that Dr. Barrows was not responsible for 
his brother’s actions, and proudly withdrew her 
friendship from the whole family, and her gifts 
from the seminary. 

No doubt her grief over her brother made 
her more bitter than she would otherwise have 
been; at least so Dr. Barrows thought, and 
would not speak ill of her. 

Walter upon whom she lavished everything 
affection could suggest, or money buy, felt that 
he could not ask for the only thing he really 


48 


The Candle and The Cat 


wanted. And at times he told himself despond- 
ently that he was forgotten, that his friends no 
longer cared for him. 

Caro's simple friendliness had won his heart, 
the possibility of seeing her again added a little 
interest to his lonely life; and Thompson too, 
seeing the good effect of her visit, was on the 
watch for her. 

When one afternoon they saw her in her 
scarlet jacket, looking over the garden wall, 
Walter waved his hand and Thompson grinned 
broadly over the back of the chair, while Caro 
nodded and smiled in response, quite as if they 
had been old friends. 

“ Don’t you want to see your picture? ” Wal- 
ter asked ; “ they are on the library table, 
Thompson,” he added. 

As the man went off Caro swung her feet 
over on the Grayson side of the fence, and then 
in another minute she had slipped down and 
was beside Walter’s chair. “ I mustn’t stay 
long,” she said. “ Marjorie has gone to the 
dentist’s and I told her I’d wait till she came 
back.” 

“ How is the cat? ” 


In the Garden 


49 

“ He is very well, thank you, but he has been 
bad. He stole a bird.” 

“ You don’t say so ! ” 

“ Yes, and so have I.” 

“ You don’t mean you have stolen a bird ? ” 

Caro laughed. “Of course not; I wouldn’t 
steal, but Marjorie and Tom and I jumped all 
the feathers out of Aunt Charlotte’s bed.” 

“ What naughty children,” said Walter 
smiling. 

“ Yes,” agreed Caro with a sigh, “ and I 
meant to be good while grandpa was away. I 
promised him I’d try to be a candle and then 
I forgot.” 

“ What do you mean by being a candle ? ” 

“ Oh — being pleasant and nice to Aunt 
Charlotte and Jane, — not making trouble you 
know. The feathers were all over the front 
lawn and Mrs. Rice thought it was snowing.” 
Caro laughed a little at the recollection. 

“ Grandpa said the best way to be a candle 
was to love people, and I do love him ever so 
much, but I don’t love Jane. I love Aunt Char- 
lotte too, but she doesn’t like to talk to me, so 
I miss grandpa.” 


5 ° 


The Candle and The Cat 


“ I know how that is. I too wish sometimes 
for someone to talk to,” Walter replied. 

Here Thompson appeared with the photo- 
graphs, and everything else was forgotten. 

“ They are a little too grave,” Walter said, 
comparing them with the glowing face beside 
him; “ We must try again sometime.” 

“ And let's have Trolley in it too,” Caro 
suggested. 

“ Why certainly, that is a good idea. Do 
you know Caro you remind me of my little 
sister.” 

“ Do you mean Annette ? ” 

“ Why what can you know about her ? ” 
Walter asked in surprise. 

“ Grandpa told me. I asked him who lived 
in your house — and then I saw her window in 
the chapel — the Good Shepherd you know. 
Grandpa said she was a dear little girl. Do I 
truly look like her ! ” 

“ Yes, there is something in your face and 
smile that is like her; ” Walter looked thought- 
fully at the picture. 

“ Won’t you please tell me about her?” 
begged Caro. 

And so while Thompson wheeled his master 


In the Garden 


5 1 


up and down the garden paths, she walked be- 
side him and listened to the story of those days 
when the gate now nailed up was always open, 
and merry girls and boys ran back and forth. 

“ What nice times you did have ! ” Caro ex- 
claimed, pressing the palms of her hands to- 
gether. “ I wish we could do some of those 
lovely things. Couldn’t we have a picnic and 
have a fire and roast potatoes and corn ? ” 

Her interest was a pleasant thing to the in- 
valid; he laughed at the eager face; “Well, 
why can’t we? ” he said. “ What do you think 
Thompson ? ” 

“ Why of course we can, sir, if you like,” 
was the answer. 

“ And have Marjorie and Tom? ” cried Caro 
eagerly. 

It seemed impossible to refuse her, but when 
he thought of it afterwards Walter began to 
doubt if he had been wise. What would his 
sister think — or the Barrows, when it was dis- 
covered that he had been entertaining the chil- 
dren in the garden? Still it was too late now 
— he had promised. 

As for Caro no doubts spoiled her anticipa- 
tion. She gave Marjorie a most animated ac- 


5 2 


The Candle and The Cat 


count of the pleasure in store for them, and her 
cousin was as interested as she could wish. 

“ It will be lovely, Caro, and we’ll keep it a 
secret,” she said, for there was nothing Mar- 
jorie liked so well as a mystery. 

Finding Tom, they proceeded to excite his 
curiosity. 

“ Say — don’t you wish you knew what we 
are going to do to-morrow?” they both ex- 
claimed. 

“ What are you going to do ? ” he asked, 
pulling his ear and realizing that he was about 
to be teased. 

“ We can’t tell, but it is something awfully 
nice,” said Caro, “ Isn’t it Marjorie? ” 

“ Isn’t it though ! ” and the two looked know- 
ingly at each other. 

“ There’s going to be something to eat,” 
Marjorie added. 

“ A candy pulling, I bet,” cried Tom. 

“ No indeed ! ” they both cried. 

After carrying this on for half an hour and 
goading Tom to the point of desperation, Mar- 
jorie said, “ If you’ll promise honest truly you 
won’t tell you can come over to-morrow and 
maybe we’ll let you into it.” 


In the Garden 


S3 

“ Truly I won’t tell,” Tom promised, bright- 
ening. 

“ Do you think you’d let him into it Caro ? 
He might spoil it.” 

“ Oh I guess so,” Caro replied, and they ran 
off leaving him alone with his curiosity. 

All this mystery added not a little to the de- 
lights of the picnic next day in the Grayson 
garden, and certainly for its size there was 
never a merrier one. 

Tom was a little uncomfortable at first, for 
Marjorie’s dark hints about the garden had im- 
pressed him deeply, but he soon recovered from 
this and helped Thompson make a fire on the 
very spot where Charlie and Walter had built 
theirs in days gone by. 

The children thought nothing ever tasted so 
good as the corn roasted there; there were 
grapes and apples besides and some fascinating 
bon-bons, but the corn was the most fun, they 
insisted. 

Not being in the habit of providing for such 
feasts Thompson forgot the salt, and Marjorie 
and Caro had the excitement of running to the 
house and having the cook inquire what they 
were going to do with salt. 


S4 


The Candle and The Cat 


On a seat made of a plank supported on 
bricks the three children sat and feasted and 
chattered, while Walter looked on and enjoyed 
the experience of acting once more as host. 

Everybody knows the peculiar pleasure of a 
fire out of doors; the day was cool enough to 
make its warmth agreeable, and the sight and 
sound of the crackling flames was like a tonic 
to the spirits. 

After the feast was over they played games, 
such as “ I have a word that rhymes with — ” 
and “ My ship comes sailing — .” 

They asked conundrums, and Thompson 
showed himself to be an accomplished sleight- 
of-hand man, finding silver dollars in impos- 
sible places, and making handkerchiefs appear 
and disappear, in a surprising manner. Never 
was more fun crowded into one short after- 
noon. 

“ It has been a beautiful picnic, and I am 
very much obliged to you,” Caro said to Walter 
as they were separating. 

“ So am I,” echoed Marjorie, and Tom 
would have said the same if he hadn’t been 
bashful, as it was he could only grin. 

“Iam just as much obliged to you for com- 


In the Garden 


55 


in g to my picnic,” Walter replied, and he added 
to Caro, “ Goodby little Candle.” This was 
the first time in more than four years that he 
had given any pleasure to anybody, he thought 
on the way to the house. 

Miss Elizabeth stood at the door : “ Surely 
Walter you are staying out too late,” she said : 
“ Are you not chilled ? ” 

“ Not at all ; you can trust Thompson for 
that,” he answered. 

As for Thompson, he wished Miss Grayson 
could have seen her brother as he told stories 
and laughed at the pranks of his visitors, and 
he determined that if he could bring it about 
there should be more occasions of the sort. 


CHAPTER VIII 


MISS ELIZABETH RECEIVES A SHOCK 

Miss Grayson rejoiced in her brother's un- 
usual cheerfulness, and when she was called 
away for a few days to a neighboring city on 
business she left with the less reluctance. Home 
had after all proved the best place for him, she 
thought. 

She was gone several days, and at the last 
minute after telegraphing that she would be 
at home at eight in the evening, she found she 
could take an earlier train that arrived at 
three. There was no time for anything but a 
hurried drive to the station, and she decided, 
it would be just as well to surprise Walter. 
How glad he would be to see her five hours 
ahead of time ! She felt quite happy over the 
thought as she stepped from the train at Charm- 
ington. 

There was of course no one to meet her, and 
as the day was pleasant and the distance short 
56 


Miss Elizabeth Receives a Shock 57 

she walked home. She might have taken the 
street cars if her feeling on the subject had not 
made it impossible. 

It was only natural that the servant who 
opened the door for her should seem surprised, 
but Miss Elizabeth observed an odd hesitation 
in his manner when in reply to her questions 
he said Mr. Grayson was in the library. 

To the library she hastened, and as she went 
there came to her astonished ears the strains 
of The Last Rose of Summer, — for years that 
music box had been untouched — and mingled 
with it was a sound like children’s voices. Be- 
fore her on a chair lay an unfamiliar scarlet 
jacket with other articles of outdoor apparel, 
and from the floor a pair of small but saucy 
looking rubber shoes forced themselves upon 
her vision. What did it mean — was she dream- 
ing? 

At the door she paused. In front of the 
wood fire blazing brightly at one end of the 
spacious room, Walter’s couch was drawn and 
around him in attitudes of eager interest were 
three children. They were evidently absorbed 
in the story he was telling with an animation 
his sister had thought never to see again. 


58 


The Candle and The Cat 


Strewn upon the. floor were photographs, 
and on a table a costly illustrated book on birds 
— one of her brother’s old favorites — lay open ; 
but at present everything else was forgotten in 
the interest of the story which seemed to be one 
of adventure, for there was frequent mention 
of bears. This much Miss Grayson’s bewil- 
dered mind took in. 

And this was the lonely invalid to whom she 
had hastened home! Certainly he was not 
missing her, for she stood there quite unob- 
served. And who were these children who had 
brought such a light to his eyes ? All her devo- 
tion had failed to do as much for him. Turn- 
ing she saw Thompson hovering uneasily in the 
distance, and swept down upon him. 

“ Who are those children in the library?” 
she demanded. Miss Grayson was exceedingly 
stately and Thompson felt abashed. 

“ Why Miss Elizabeth they’re just some 
children — ” 

“ I see that ; I asked who they are and what 
they are doing here ? ” 

“ Well you see Miss Elizabeth it looked like 
Mr. Walter was mighty lonesome to-day and 


Miss Elizabeth Receives a Shock 59 

it was too damp to be on the ground, so I just 
took the liberty of asking them in to amuse 
him. It looks like there’s not much for him 
to do.” 

“ Did Mr. Grayson tell you to ask them ? ” 

“ No m’m, but he seemed right glad to see 
them. It has cheered him up considerable.” 
The sound of laughter from the library empha- 
sized this. 

“ But who are they? ” Miss Grayson asked 
again. Thompson was very trying to her, and 
it was only because he suited her brother so 
well that she kept him. 

“ I don’t know exactly, ma’m ; they are some 
kin of Dr. Barrows over at the seminary I be- 
lieve.” 

This was more than she could stand. Telling 
herself that such excitement must be bad for 
Walter she swept back to the library. The last 
notes of music had died away, and Caro heard 
the rustle of her dress and turned. 

Miss Elizabeth had thrown back her fur col- 
lar, in her face was an unusual glow, she was 
very handsome Caro thought. 

The eyes of the others followed hers, and for 


6o 


The Candle and The Cat 


a few seconds they all gazed at the lady in 
silence. Then Walter found his voice : 

“ Why Elizabeth ! I did not expect you so 
early/’ he exclaimed. 

“ I found I could get off sooner than I 
thought when I telegraphed. I fear you are 
tiring yourself,” she added coming to his side 
and bending over him, entirely ignoring the 
children. 

Caro rose ; “ I ’spect we’d better go,” she 
said. “ It is a lovely story, but if you are tired 
we can come some other time.” 

“ I am not tired, Caro,” Walter answered, 
taking her hand, “ but perhaps you’d better go 
now, and as you say we will finish the story 
another time.” They smiled at each other in a 
way that expressed a world of friendly confi- 
dence. 

Without another word Miss Grayson 
turned and left the room. She felt she was a 
marplot, and yet — those children — what else 
could she have done? As she went up stairs 
the sounds of laughter followed her ; she wished 
she had not hurried home. 

She did not mention the children when she 


Miss Elizabeth Receives a Shock 6 1 


returned to her brother after they had gone, but 
talked of business and other matters, making 
an effort to act as if nothing unusual had hap- 
pened. 

After dinner when they were alone together 
before the fire, Walter spoke : “ Elizabeth 

there is something I want very much.” 

She smoothed his hair caressingly from his 
forehead as she replied, “ You know dear if it 
is anything I can give you, you shall have it.” 

“ But this will be hard for you ; ” Walter 
hesitated, then added, “ It is my old friends 
I want.” 

She caught her breath ; “ I don't under- 
stand,” she said. 

Then her brother told her about Caro's visit 
with Trolley. “ It has made me feel,” he con- 
tinued, “ as I have thought about it since, that 
I have been living very selfishly. My life as I 
used to think of it has to be sure, been spoiled, 
but there are still small things I might do — to 
make a little cheer, as Caro says — and to begin 
with I want my friends again. I want to for- 
get — I want you to forget — all that has been 
unpleasant in the past.” 


6 2 


The Candle and The Cat 


“ And you think they will be willing to come 
back to you, do you? ” Miss Elizabeth asked 
bitterly. 

“ Yes, I think they will,” he said simply. 

Miss Grayson had often told herself there 
was nothing she would not do for her brother, 
but had she dreamed of anything like this? 
Her proud heart had a fierce battle to fight. 

“ I shan’t ever be Miss Elizabeth again when 
we dress up ; I don’t like her at all,” Caro said 
as the children walked down the garden path 
together. 

“ I told you she was cross,” Marjorie replied. 

For lack of a better confidant Trolley heard 
the story that night. “ I don’t blame you one 
bit for not wanting to live with her, for I ’spect 
she just scared you to death,” was Caro’s con- 
clusion emphasized by a vigorous hug. 


CHAPTER IX 
Annette's window 

“ Marjorie, grandpa is coming home this 
afternoon; don’t you want to go to meet him? 
Aunt Charlotte says we may go in the car- 
riage.” It was the first cold day of the season 
and Caro looked like a bright-eyed squirrel in 
her gray coat and chinchilla furs. 

Of course Marjorie wished to go, and al- 
though it was an hour and a half before train 
time she put on her coat and hat and the two 
went out to frisk up and down the walk until 
the carriage came. 

They went as far as the seminary chapel, and 
seeing the door open Caro said, “ Let’s go in 
and look at Annette’s window. 

Marjorie was willing and in they went. 
Some one from a distance was giving a course 
of Bible lectures to the students in the chapel, 
and the one for that day was just over. 

63 


6 4 


The Candle and The Cat 


It was a small building, beautifully propor- 
tioned and decorated; the somewhat somber 
richness of the interior being relieved by the 
beautiful windows. 

The children found it great fun to walk about 
in perfect freedom instead of being obliged to 
sit in sedate silence, and they forgot to think 
about the time. They stood for a while before 
the window on which was represented the Good 
Shepherd freeing a lamb from a thorn bush, 
and spelled out the words beneath it : “In 
memoriam A. G.” 

“ I should like to have a window,” Caro said. 

“ But you can’t unless you are dead,” Mar- 
jorie answered. 

Caro was disposed to doubt this and would 
have begun to argue the question if the sound 
of a banging door had not startled her. “ What 
was that Marjorie? I guess we’d better go,” 
she said. 

Pushing open the swinging door they went 
out into the vestibule, and there they found the 
outside door fast closed. 

“ Oh Marjorie, it is shut tight, I can’t open 
it ! ” Caro cried. 


Annette’s Window 


6S 

Marjorie tried in her turn, but it was of no 
use, the janitor not knowing they were in the 
chapel had locked the door and gone away. 

“What shall we do? We shall be late to 
meet grandpa,” wailed Caro. 

Marjorie began to pound on the door and 
call, but this they soon realized could do no 
good. “ Nobody can hear us it is so thick,” 
she said, beginning to cry. 

“Don’t cry Marjorie; maybe Clifford will 
come back again. But I’m afraid we won’t get 
out in time to meet grandpa,” Caro added with 
a little choke in her voice at the thought. 

“ Clifford won’t be back till to-morrow I 
know,” and Marjorie continued to sob. 

“ But they’ll look for us, I know they will,” 
Caro insisted. 

It was dark and chilly in the vestibule so they 
went back into the chapel where the air was 
still warm. Even here the light was dim, for 
the short afternoon was nearly over. The 
shadows looked so dark in the corners that 
Marjorie exclaimed, “ Oh Caro I’m afraid! ” 

“ I don’t think anything can happen to us, 
and they will find us pretty soon I’m sure,” 


66 1 he Candle and The Cat 

said Caro encouragingly, although she couldn’t 
help thinking how very dark it would be after 
a while. 

“ We’ll starve ! I am hungry now,” Mar- 
jorie said tearfully. 

There was nothing to do but wait. They 
sat down in the seat usually occupied by Aunt 
Charlotte when they went to afternoon service 
with her, two very forlorn little girls. Sud- 
denly Marjorie flung herself down on the cush- 
ions and began to cry and sob wildly. Caro’s 
tears fell more quietly, and after a time she 
wiped them from her eyes and looked up at the 
window. In the fading light sfle could just 
see the gentle, tender smile of the Good Shep- 
herd as he rescued the lamb. It comforted her, 
and when Marjorie’s passion of crying had ex- 
hausted itself, she said softly “ Marjorie look 
at the Good Shepherd ! ” 

“ It is too dark to see.” 

“ Marjorie let’s ask him to send someone to 
find us.” 

“ Well,” Marjorie agreed. 

“ And soon,” Caro added, “ And to help us 
not to be afraid.” 

In the dusk two little figures knelt, two little 


Annette’s Window 


67 

heads were bowed on the cushions. When 
Caro lifted hers she thought something won- 
derful had happened, for there was the Shep- 
herd smiling down on them just as if he were 
about to speak. It was the electric light on 
the campus which had shone out while their 
eyes were closed, and made it seem almost like 
day. 

“ We needn’t be afraid now Marjorie,” Caro 
said calling her attention to it. “ But I do 
hope it won’t be very long, for I want so to 
see grandpa.” 

At that moment Dr. Barrows was wanting 
very much to see his little girl. When he 
stepped from his carriage expecting to hear 
her merry voice, and to see her flying to him, 
there was only his sister standing in the door 
with an anxious face, greeting him with : 
“ The children have disappeared Charles, and 
can’t be found ! ” 

After a few questions the president hurried 
over to his brother’s, vague stories of kidnap- 
pers floating through his brain. It seemed 
strange indeed that two little girls could dis- 
appear so completely in so short a time, leaving 
no clew to their whereabouts. 


68 


The Candle and The Cat 


The whole neighborhood was presently 
aroused, and professors and students might be 
seen running in every direction. Just how soon 
it would have occurred to anybody to look in 
the chapel it is impossible to say, but it so hap- 
pened that Dr. Smith the lecturer was to leave 
town that evening, and in putting his papers 
together he missed some valuable notes which 
he thought must have been left on the desk in 
the chapel. The janitor was sent for, and in 
half an hour after the electric light shone out, 
the children, as well as the manuscript, were 
found. 

“ It is so nice to be found ! ” Caro said, with 
her arms clasped about her grandfather’s neck ; 
“ but I truly wasn’t afraid after the light came, 
for the Good Shepherd looked so kind.” 


CHAPTER X 


OLD FRIENDS 

“ There is one thing I don’t understand,” 
remarked Aunt Charlotte at the breakfast table, 
“ and that is how one of the Grayson servants 
happened to come over here to ask about the 
children yesterday.” 

“ It was Thompson, I guess,” said Caro who 
was eating her oatmeal, stopping every other 
minute to smile at her grandfather. 

“ Who is Thompson ? ” he asked. 

“ He is the one who takes care of Walter, 
and he is very nice. Why grandpa, he is al- 
most as good as Kellar; he can do all sorts of 
sleight-of-hand tricks ! ” 

“ But how do you know anything about him 
or Walter either? ” asked Aunt Charlotte. 

Then Caro remembered that she had not told 
anyone about all that had gone on in the garden, 
and she couldn’t think where to begin. 

69 


70 


The Candle and The Cat 


“ Can’t you answer your aunt,” said her 
grandfather. 

“ Why yes — Aunt Charlotte, — I know them, 
— I got acquainted with them a long time ago.” 

“ With Walter Grayson? Why no one ever 
sees him; you must be mistaken,” Miss Bar- 
rows exclaimed. 

“ But I went to see him,” said Caro. “ It 
wasn’t wrong, was it grandpa? You know 
you said to be a candle was to take a little cheer 
to lonely people — and I was sure he must be 
lonely. I thought maybe he’d like to see Trol- 
ley ’cause he lived there once, so I took him. 
Do you think it was wrong? ” 

“ My dear I don’t know what to say — ” the 
president put down his knife and fork and 
looked at Aunt Charlotte, and then at his grand- 
daughter. “ You mean to say you took the 
cat to see Walter Grayson ? ” 

Caro nodded; “Yes, grandpa.” 

“ I’d like to know what she’ll do next ! ” 
cried Miss Barrows. 

“ But how did he treat you ? ” questioned her 
grandfather. “ Did he tell you you were an 
officious little girl ? ” 


Old Friends 


7 1 

“ I think he liked to see me, ’cause after that 
we had a picnic.” 

In the midst of these explanations a note was 
brought in to the president. It read: 

“ Dear Dr. Barrows, — If you can spare the 
time will you not come to see me within the 
next day or two ? I am anxious to have a talk 
with you. If you have forgotten the way Caro 
will come with you I am sure. 

“ Your friend, 

“ Walter Grayson.” 

Dr. Barrows read it aloud, and then looked 
at his sister again. 

“ Grandpa he must think you are pretty 
stupid if you could forget that little way,” Caro 
said laughing. 

“ I fear I am rather stupid sometimes,” he 
said smiling; “ Well Pigeon we’ll go over there 
after lunch.” 

So it came about that Caro and her grand- 
father hand in hand, went over to the Grayson’s 
that afternoon. Dr. Barrows still felt puzzled, 
and half believed he was dreaming, but his 
granddaughter was very wide awake indeed. 


72 


The Candle and The Cat 


She quite hoped they would see haughty Miss 
Elizabeth again, for with her grandfather be- 
side her she was ready to face anything. 

The lady however was not to be seen, and 
they found Walter alone in the library. 

“ My dear boy,” was all the president said as 
he grasped the hand stretched out to him. 

“ There’s not much left of me, but what there 
is is very glad to see you,” was Walter’s greet- 
ing. 

It was well that Caro was there to help out 
the conversation at first, her grandfather was 
kept so busy clearing his glasses. She was as 
full of life as the gray squirrel she resembled. 

“ Did you know we got lost yesterday ? ” she 
asked. 

“ Yes; though I didn’t hear it till you were 
found. What were you doing in the chapel ? ” 

“ It was open you know and so we went in 
to look at Annette’s window.” 

“ And weren’t you afraid when you found 
the door shut? ” 

“ Yes, a little, when it began to get dark — 
and Marjorie was too. I thought it would be 
so dreadfully dark after a while, and then the 
electric light shone out, straight through the 


Old Friends 


73 


window! We could see the Good Shepherd 
just as plain as day, and I wasn’t afraid any 
longer; then pretty soon they found us.” 

“ ‘ For sudden the worst turns the best to the brave,’ ” 

Walter quoted, smiling at Dr. Barrows. 

“ Particularly when they are looking in the 
right direction,” he answered. 

“ I suppose Caro has told you how we be- 
came acquainted,” Walter said; “and I have 
found it so pleasant to have a friend that I want 
more — I want my old friends again. I can’t 
be of any use — ” he was silent for a minute, 
then went on, “ I asked you to come because 
I knew you could help me. My sister has given 
her consent to anything I wish, but it is hard 
for her.” 

“ She will be happier in the end. She is too 
fine a woman to shut herself in — the world 
needs her,” answered Dr. Barrows. 

“ She is good, nobody knows it so well as I,” 
said Walter. 

“ And now my boy anything I can do I will 
do gladly,” the president added. 

“ It is just to let my friends know that I 


74 


The Candle and The Cat 


shall be glad to see them, and that on our side 
all feeling about the old quarrel is put away. 
And ” he added almost gaily, “ I think I shall 
get Caro to help me with a Christmas party.” 

“ A Christmas party here ? how lovely ! ” she 
cried dancing up and down. 

“ I should like to see the old house look really 
cheerful again. Do you remember the parties 
we used to have when we were children, Dr. 
Barrows? ” 

“ Do you mean a tree, and Santa Claus ? ” 
Caro asked coming to Walter’s side after whirl- 
ing around the room. 

“ Certainly, and all the other things that be- 
long to Christmas,” was his reply. 

Caro rather changed her mind about Miss 
Elizabeth who met them in the hall as they 
were leaving. 

“ Dr. Barrows,” she said holding out her 
hand, “ I know what Walter has said to you — 
perhaps I have been wrong — I don’t know, but 
I should never acknowledge it except for 
him — ” 

The president interrupted her, “ My dear,” 
— and Caro wondered how he could call anyone 


Old Friends 


75 


so stately my dear, — “ say no more. Let us 
simply forget that anything ever came between 
us” 

And then Miss Elizabeth turned to Caro and 
took her hand ; “ This is your granddaughter, 
Elinor’s child,” she said, “ I hope she will come 
often to see my brother, he has taken a great 
fancy to her.” 

When they reached home Aunt Charlotte 
met them with a letter in her hand. “ What do 
you think? Elinor writes that she will prob- 
ably spend Christmas with us ! ” 

“ Is mamma coming? How perfectly lovely ! 
Oh grandpa aren’t you glad ? ” Caro was so 
full of delight she could hardly listen to her 
mother’s letter in which Mrs. Holland said that 
as they could not get their family together at 
home, she would come to spend the holidays at 
her father’s with Caro, while Mr. Holland 
joined the boys. 

“ I believe it is going to be the best Christ- 
mas that ever happened,” Caro exclaimed. 

The weeks before Christmas were merry 
ones. As if to make up for his delay winter 
came in earnest with a heavy snow followed by 


7 6 


The Candle and The Cat 


freezing weather, which made endless fun for 
the children. To Caro snow that lay on the 
ground for any length of time was a delightful 
novelty, and she wanted to be out from morn- 
ing till night. 

The cold kept Walter Grayson housed for the 
greater part of the time but he was enlivened 
by frequent visits from the children. For his 
benefit they built a remarkable snow man on 
the lawn outside the library windows and Miss 
Elizabeth said not a word, although her order- 
loving eyes found the grotesque object almost 
painful. It amused Walter, and so she could 
endure it. 

He and Caro spent hours over plans for the 
Christmas party, to which his sister had offered 
no objection, but she asked no questions and 
shrank from having anything to do with it. 

The days flew by as they always do at this 
time of year, with so much to prepare for and 
look forward to. 

“ Trolley,” Caro said one evening, “ I am 
sorry for you, because you don’t know what 
fun Christmas is. Just think ! Mamma is com- 
ing to-morrow, and Charlie and Alice, and we 
are going to have the best time! ” 


Old Friends 


77 


Trolley only purred contentedly. All days 
were alike to him, if he had plenty to eat and 
a comfortable nap, and the society of his 
friends. 


CHAPTER XI 


CHRISTMAS CANDLES 

The sunlight fell softly through Annette’s 
window and across the reading desk as Dr. 
Barrows began the afternoon service in the 
chapel on the day before Christmas. The air 
was fragrant with the odor of cedar and pine, 
and against the dark oak wainscoting the holly 
berries shone warm and bright, as he read: 
“ The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, 
the fir tree, and the pine tree, and the box to- 
gether, to beautify the place of my sanctuary.” 

Caro sat with her hand clasped in her moth- 
er’s, the happiness of Christmas shining in her 
face; across the aisle was Marjorie with 
Charlie and Alice. 

Just as the president began to read, the door 
opened and Thompson swiftly and noiselessly 
wheeled his master to a place at one side of the 
pulpit, and withdrew. Caro thought Walter 
78 


Christmas Candles 


79 


must be lonely there by himself, so after a mo- 
ment’s hesitation, with a smile she withdrew 
her hand from her mother’s and stole softly up 
to the front seat close to the invalid. 

Miss Elizabeth saw her from the back of 
the chapel where she sat, and tears came to her 
eyes. She had not wanted her brother to come, 
and now here was this child taking the place 
that should have been hers. 

When her grandfather read his text Caro 
looked up at Walter and smiled; it seemed 
meant for them she thought. 

“ To give light to them that sit in darkness.” 

It is to be doubted if the president ever 
preached a better sermon, and yet it was only 
a simple little talk that the children could under- 
stand, about the Light-bringer whose love 
could penetrate the darkest clouds of sin or 
sorrow, and whose followers must in their turn 
become light-bearers. 

Caro listened, looking up at the Good Shep- 
herd, who again seemed to smile on her. But 
after they had sung, “ It came upon the mid- 
night clear ” — and the benediction had been 
pronounced, the merry side of Christmas be- 
came uppermost. There was Charlie exclaim- 


8o 


The Candle and The Cat 


ing, “ Walter old fellow I am so glad to see 
you ! ” and shaking hands warmly, and Alice 
and Mrs. Holland with quieter greetings. Mar- 
jorie and Tom of course joined Caro, and the 
president came down and added one more to 
the group around Walter. 

At the door Miss Elizabeth waited, unable 
to escape altogether the friendly greetings, try- 
ing not to be impatient, while near her stood 
Thompson with a beaming face. This was 
something like living he thought. 

There is something about Christmas eve 
which makes it different from all other eve- 
nings. There is a thrill of expectancy in the air 
that no one can quite escape, even though his 
head is grey. Caro and Marjorie skipped down 
the stone walk in the frosty air, hand in hand, 
brimful of happiness; Charlie and Alice were 
beside Walter, and Dr. Barrows who walked 
with Miss Elizabeth thought his little grand- 
daughter was right when she said this was go- 
ing to be the best Christmas that ever hap- 
pened. 

“ Remember,” said Walter, as they were 
separating, “ that I depend on you to-morrow 


Christmas Candles 81 

to make my, party a success. It is to be as much 
like old times as possible.” 

“ We’ll be on hand and do our best,” said 
Charlie. “ Poor fellow ! what a change from 
four years ago,” he added to his sister. 

“ And yet I can’t quite pity him. It must 
be because he is so brave,” Alice answered. 

“And Bess, you will wear your prettiest 
gown, won’t you? ” Walter had said coaxingly. 

“ You know I don’t care for such things any 
more,” Miss Elizabeth urged. 

“ But you must. I want you to look like a 
queen,” he insisted, and so when the Barrows 
arrived next evening they found their hostess 
in creamy satin and costly lace, with diamonds 
on her breast and in her dark hair. At sight 
of her Caro clasped her hands and cried, “ Oh 
Miss Elizabeth you are perfectly beautiful ! ” 

Her admiration was so evidently genuine 
that the lady could not help being pleased, and 
she stooped and kissed the rosy cheek. 

“ And how do you think we came ? ” asked 
Marjorie, dancing around till the blue bows on 
her flaxen braids danced too. 

“ Oh, yes, I forgot to tell you,” cried Caro, 


82 


The Candle and The Cat 


running to Walter’s side, a We came through 
the gate, — Charlie opened it, the gate in the 
orchard. We shan’t have to climb the fence 
any more.” 

The invitations read “To meet Miss Caro 
Holland ” and Caro in her fluffy white dress 
with a spray of holly on her shoulders stood 
beside Miss Elizabeth and Walter and helped 
receive the guests. The spacious house was all 
thrown open, brilliantly lighted and beautiful 
in its Christmas decorations, for neither trouble 
nor expense had been considered. 

It was first of all a children’s party as every 
Christmas party should be, but there were al- 
most as many grown people asked besides, to 
enjoy the children’s pleasure. Aunt Charlotte 
was there in her black velvet gown, and Mrs. 
Rice in her wedding dress, — everybody in fact 
looked their best. 

Miss Elizabeth hardly knew herself with 
flowers and music and happy faces all about her, 
she almost forgot the pain at her heart, and her 
brother’s contented smile paid her for all her 
struggle. 

The tree which was in the library was a most 
beautiful sight when the lights were turned 


Christmas Candles 


83 

down in the other rooms and the doors thrown 
open. The floor appeared to be covered with 
snow, and the tree was all in white and silver, 
blazing with candles. 

After it had been sufficiently admired, Santa 
Claus came on the scene with a generous pack 
from which he distributed the most interesting 
white parcels tied with red ribbons. One of 
these which had on it “ For Trolley, in care of 
Caro,” contained the prettiest sort of a collar 
on which was a silver plate with his name. 

Supper was served on small tables decorated 
in holly and red candles, and when this was 
over the children danced and played around the 
tree, while the older people strolled about the 
house or sat and talked. 

“ Have you had a good time Caro ? ” asked 
Walter, catching her hand as she danced by. 

“ Indeed I have,” was her answer, “ and I’m 
so much obliged for everything, especially Trol- 
ley’s collar.” 

“ I hope he will like it. I owe a great deal 
to Trolley.” 

“ Why do you ? ” she asked. 

“ I doubt if you ever would have come to see 
me if he had not put it into your head.” 


8 4 


The Candle and The Cat 


“ And then we shouldn’t have had the party, 
should we? Here comes grandpa,” she added. 
“ Have you had a good time grandpa ? ” 

“ This has been a happy Christmas, Walter,” 
the president said sitting down beside him. 

“ It has been to me. And I had not expected 
to have another happy one,” Walter replied. 

“ What did Santa Claus bring you, 
grandpa?” Caro asked. 

“ Just what I most wanted,” and Dr. Bar- 
rows smiled at Walter. “ I can’t tell you how 
much I thank you; I had come home rather 
discouraged.” 

“ Please tell me what it is,” begged his grand- 
daughter. 

“ Only a piece of paper, Caro,” said Walter. 

“ One that will help the seminary out of its 
difficulties,” added the president. 

“ Do you mean money? That isn’t interest- 
ing,” laughed Caro. “ I’ll tell you what I 
think,” she continued, shaking her finger at 
Walter, “ I think you are a candle, a big one! 
Hasn’t he brought us a great lot of cheer, 
grandpa ? ” 

“ He has indeed, my darling.” 

The young man’s face flushed. “ Whatever 


Christmas Candles 


85 

I have done has brought me the most pleasure. 
I seem now not to mind as I did at first having 
to give everything up. I can even hear Charlie 
talk about the university, without thinking of 
my spoiled plans. I only want now to get what 
I can out of the present.” Then after a mo- 
ment's silence, he said with a smile, “ I am not 
afraid of the dark any more." 

“ Did you try a candle ? ” Caro asked. 

“ Yes; ” Walter answered, and Dr. Barrows 
understood. On that young life with its dark 
shadow, the light of love had shone, and a little 
candle had been the beginning of it. 

So the Christmas party came to an end, and 
the guests went happily home through the snow. 


CHAPTER XII 


GOODBY 

Trolley sat on the gate-post. If possible he 
was handsomer than ever, for the frosty 
weather had made his coat thick and fluffy, be- 
sides this he wore his new collar. His eyes 
were wide open to-day, and he looked out on 
the world with a solemn questioning gaze. 

He had been decidedly upset in his mind that 
morning at finding an open trunk in Caro's 
room, and clothes scattered about on chairs and 
on the bed. Of course he did not know what 
this meant, but to the cat mind anything un- 
usual is objectionable, and it made him un- 
happy. Finally he stretched himself in the tray, 
where Caro found him. 

“ You darling pussie! ” she cried, “ Mamma 
do look at him, I believe he wants to go home 
with us. I wish we could take him.” 

But Mrs. Holland said one little girl was all 
the traveling companion she cared for. “ It 
86 


Goodby 87 

wouldn’t do dear, he would be unhappy on the 
train,” she added. 

“ I don’t know what I should have done with- 
out him. He and my candle were my greatest 
comforts, — except grandpa,” and Caro put her 
cheek down on Trolley’s soft fur. 

“ What am I to do without my little 
candle ? ” her grandfather asked. 

“ Why you can have the cat,” Caro answered 
merrily. 

No wonder Trolley’s mind was disturbed 
that morning with such a coming and going as 
went on, — people running in to say goodby, and 
Aunt Charlotte thinking every few minutes of 
something new for the traveler’s lunch, tickling 
his nose with tantalizing odors of tongue and 
chicken. 

It was over at last, trunks and bags were sent 
off, Aunt Charlotte was hugged and kissed and 
then Trolley had his turn, and the procession 
moved, headed by the president. 

“Goodby Trolley; don’t forget me!” Caro 
called, walking backwards and waving her 
handkerchief. 

When they were out of sight Trolley went 
and sat on the gate-post and thought about it. 


88 


The Candle and The Cat 


After a while he jumped down and trotted 
across the campus with a businesslike air as if 
he had come to an important decision. He took 
his way through the Barrows’ orchard to the 
Grayson garden where there was now a well- 
trodden path through the snow. 

Miss Grayson and her brother were sitting 
in the library. They had been talking about 
Caro when Walter glancing toward the window 
saw a pair of golden eyes peering in at him. 

“ There is Trolley,” he said, and called 
Thompson to let him in. 

Trolley entered as if he was sure of a wel- 
come, and walking straight to Miss Elizabeth, 
sprang into her lap ; and from this on he became 
a frequent visitor at the Graysons, dividing his 
time in fact about evenly between his two 
homes. 

And thus an unfortunate quarrel which had 
disturbed the peaceful atmosphere of Charm- 
ington and separated old friends, was forgotten, 
and as the president often remarked, it was all 

owing to the candle and the cat. 

L.ofC. 


THE END. 




JUN 13 1901 






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I 




LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 


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